1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for protecting network computer systems and electronic content available through such network computer systems from unauthorized use or access.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various methods and systems exist for protecting computer networks from access by unauthorized individuals. Many such systems and methods rely on the use of a password or other authentication information entered by a computer user to authenticate access attempts. Access is permitted when authentication information supplied during an access attempt matches authentication information stored in the computer network and retrieved from storage in response to the attempted access. Such security protocols are vulnerable to unauthorized access by any person who is able to discover or correctly guess the authentication information associated with a particular user ID. Security breaches of such systems reportedly occur with alarming frequency, and sometimes result in serious harm.
More robust security systems are also known, that make use of special security devices such as hardware token authenticators, biometric data readers, and geographic locating devices. Information from such devices may be used together with password authenticators to authenticate access attempts and prevent unauthorized access to network resources. Such combination systems may increase network security, but at the cost of, and subject to proper operation of, additional hardware security devices. It would be desirable to enhance network security without requiring the use of additional hardware for authentication of access attempts.